Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Women's Poker Club Hits England

Women's Poker Club, the largest organized international group of women poker players, has been in existence for over three years. WPC is free to join and offers programs catering to all levels of players, from those just learning how to play to women who play professionally or semi-professionally. It is because of the growing number of members from the United Kingdom, that they are pleased to announce their first live tournament overseas.

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The WPC UK Showdown will be a No Limit Hold'em tournament, held at Grosvenor Casino in Walsall on June 17, 2006, with a £50 entry fee. The lucky winner will win her share of the prize pool, plus an additional prize of a WSOP package. Bluesquare will be adding a prize of a seat to the World Series of Poker Ladies event for the champion, including hotel, entry and travel funds. "Women's Poker Club is very excited to be working with Bluesquare and Grosvenor Casinos on the first WPC tournament in the UK.

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We welcome and encourage all women players to join the tournament competition, and experience what is guaranteed to be a fabulous time." Said Maryann Morrison, founder of Women's' Poker Club. "The added prize of a trip to the World Series of Poker, is an excellent way to show support to the growing demographic of female poker players in Europe." Single table satellites will be offered at Grosvenor Casino on the morning of the main tournament, at £5 or £10 entry.

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"There are many UK women playing poker online, that would find going to a live game very intimidating. I helped to organize this event so that myself and other UK women would have a welcoming, friendly and fun experience." Said Jacky Reynolds, Tournament Coordinator and UK Member of Women's Poker Club. Dawn Dineen, Tournament Coordinator and WPC member adds, "The time has come for women to step away from their computers and experience the environment of a live casino.

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The staff of Grosvenor Walsall and BlueSquare have been a pleasure to work with in making this possible, and in showing their support for the growing demographic of women who enjoy poker. All women should look forward to a brilliant weekend of poker!" There are opportunities for women in North America to also to win their way to this event, including travel funds to the UK, by participating in online satellites.

Monday, May 29, 2006

What Spurs a great time at poker? Tony and Eva

I was attending Game 1 of the Dallas Mavericks/San Antonio Spurs series in San Antonio. Being there with one of the minority owners, Ken Kamp, allowed me access to the owners’ lounge for a snack at halftime. While Ken and I walked back to the lounge, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker of the Spurs came rushing out of the locker room, headed back to the court. As Parker whizzed by, he threw us a quick “Hi.” That was Sunday.

On Friday of that week, Maxim’s most beautiful woman in the world, Eva Longoria, called my agent to invite me to Game 6 in Dallas — and to emcee Parker’s (her longtime boyfriend) birthday party the day afterward. I accepted, and Longoria had my son and me sitting courtside for Game 6. Wow, what a game! (The Spurs won.)

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On Saturday night, Parker was surprised to see me walk into the room. But this wasn’t a birthday party so much as it was a poker tournament with deluxe surroundings. I was to emcee and play at the event. Talk about a hardcore poker party: this was a $300 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold ‘em poker tournament, with re-buys, professional dealers and even a floor man — and everyone in the room was playing! The San Antonio Spurs are so into poker that they keep records for the entire year (Michael Finley, another great player, won their last tournament).

In the first hand dealt, with starting chips of $10,000, the blinds were $100-$200, and I limped in with Js-7s. With five callers, Parker raised it up $700 more, and two players called. Now I inquired about the re-buy structure, and was told that I could re-buy for just $200 more. So I thought, “I have the microphone, I’ll move all-in, and I’ll announce it. If no one calls I’ll win $2,400 uncontested. But if Parker calls, I’ll probably double him up, but that’s OK because re-buys are only $200 more. If Parker calls and I win, then I’ll have over $20,000 in chips, so I’ll be able to play super tight, and I’ll have a reputation as a loose cannon at the table, which will allow me to accumulate even more chips.”

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So I moved all-in, Parker called and showed A-K off suit. I was less than a 2-to-1 underdog, though not by much, but the flop was J-10-7, giving me two pair! Now I was secretly rooting for Parker to win the pot. He deserved it, because he had started with the best hand, and for Pete’s sake, it was his birthday. But then an ace came off on fourth street. Now Parker needed a 10 (two left), a queen (four left), a king (three left) or an ace (two left), so that he had 11 wins to my 33 wins (44 cards were left that we hadn’t seen yet), making him a 3-to-1 underdog. The last card was a four, and I won the pot.

After winning that pot I went on to play really tight poker while I carried around the microphone, praising and teasing Parker, Longoria, Duncan, Finley, Malik Rose, Nazr Mohammed, and a few others like Crandall Addington (Addington had finished second twice in the main event of the WSOP, once to Johnny Moss, and once to Bobby Baldwin). After the re-buys ended, and the real tournament began, Parker and Longoria each had $50,000 in chips, and I had over $60,000, but there were still more than 50 players left battling for the $10,000 first place prize.

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With about 30 players left and the blinds at $1,000-$2,000, the following hand came up between Player A and Parker. Player A opened for $4,000, making the minimum raise, Parker made it $6,000 to go, also making a minimum raise with his pocket queens, and Player A called. The flop was 9-9-4, and Player A bet $4,000. Parker made it $12,000 to go, and Player A called. When a seven came off on the turn, Player A checked and Parker moved all-in for $29,000. Player A called fairly quickly, and Tony flipped up his pocket queens. Player A now showed pocket aces, and when the last card was a 10, Parker was busted out.

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Parker asked me if there was any way he could have avoided going broke in this hand. I said, “Of course not! But I would have raised it up more before the flop with your pocket queens, perhaps making it $15,000 to go.” Some hands you just have to lose. Given that game seven was coming up two nights later, all of the Spurs players were drinking water, and most of them left before the tournament ended at 11:20. Neither they, nor I, made the final table.

After spending an hour or two giving Parker and Longoria some private lessons the next day, I came to be impressed with them both. They struck me as admirable and solid people, definitely not stuck up or haughty as so many famous athletes and actresses are. Too bad the Spurs went on to lose Game 7!

A-K is favored over Js-7s by this much before the flop:

A) 4-to-1

B) 3-to-1

C) around 2-to-1

D) it’s an underdog when Phil holds the Js-7s!

Answer: C

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Friday, May 26, 2006

Countdown To The World Series Of Poker

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Slightly less than one month from now, thousands of poker players from around the globe will gather at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino for the 36th Annual World Series of Poker. The simple mention of the title "World Series of Poker" sends a shiver of anticipation up the spine of every rounder, whether a grizzled veteran or a newcomer to the game, as it is, and has been for nearly four decades now, the pinnacle of success in the poker world. A World Series bracelet is the crowning achievement of many a poker player's career and playing at the highest level of poker competition is what all players, whether amateur, recreational or professional, strive for.

Over the next month, we'll look at many subjects that you might want to think about before heading to Las Vegas from June 25th to August 11th. In the first part of this series, we'll take a basic look at what to expect when you come to Las Vegas for the World Series. While some of the things here may be obvious, they will be things that have to be considered.

If it will be your first trip to the desert in June, July or August, you can forget bringing any jackets or sweaters (this may sound simple, but surprisingly many don't think of it!). The only spot that these items will come in handy is inside some casinos, which can be cooled down to the point where you'll see your breath (this shouldn't be a problem at the World Series, where sheer numbers of people will counteract this).

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Temperatures in Las Vegas during this time of the year routinely hover in the 100-degree zone, making it more likely that you'll be swapping one air-conditioned location for another rather than spending any time outside! The evenings can still be a balmy 90-degrees plus, but it is the best time to even think about walking around the Strip. Have a good supply of water if you are going to spend any length of time outside, as in these conditions, you'll need it.

When it comes to driving, that is something else that you may want to do without. Whether you drive yourself to Sin City or rent a car, traffic in Las Vegas is highly congested (especially on the Strip) and, unless you have prior experience as a New York cabbie, difficult to navigate. Rather than taking the funding from your poker bankroll for the rental car, set some aside for cab fares or the Strip trolley and leave the driving responsibilities in someone else's hands. Walking, unless you were born on the sun (look back to the last paragraph), isn't a recommended mode of transportation.

With the weather and traffic reports out of the way, let's take a look at the thing that will be drawing everyone to the Rio…the World Series. At the World Series website (worldseriesofpoker.com) there is a complete listing of events for the six weeks of competition. While the first event is for casino employees only, Event #15 is the Ladies' No-Limit event and Event #19 the Seniors (50 and older) No-Limit tournament, every other tournament is an "open" event.

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You do have to be 21 years old to play in the tournaments, so if you are an online player who is under that magic age and you're trying to satellite your way into the Championship Event, please stop. There were a handful of hopefuls last year who could not play in the $10,000 tournament because they weren't old enough to legally step in the casinos in Las Vegas and, as such, had to railbird the action that they wanted to be a part of.

If your only desire is to watch the greatest poker players in the world ply their trade, it is encouraged that you do. There are some rules on that front, though. Flash photography is prohibited in the tournament arena, so kill the flash on your camera, put it in your pocket for possible photos outside the tournament floor or just leave it back in the hotel room. Additionally, floor traffic will be clogged with players, tournament directors, Harrah's staff, media and security, so if someone is brusque with you in asking you to move, please demonstrate the patience of Job and allow passage to whomever is making the request.

If you plan on playing, pre-registration for the events at the World Series are available online at the website. This is perhaps the best way to ensure that you get into any of the events on the schedule, including the Championship Event (where you can, at this moment, pick your starting day). If you get your registration in now and are paying by check, this allows enough time for Harrah's to ensure that the check clears and you can participate in the action. There are also other online methods to pay for your entry fee and is more than likely the preferred method to take care of that matter.

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If you are the type to pay right before you step to the felt, be sure to purchase chips in the casino before you get to the Amazon Ballroom (an aptly named arena for the World Series!). At last year's event, many people came, cash in hand, only to be turned away from the cages and told to get chips to pay for their entry fee.

In 2005, the poker room at the Rio was closed down and all action was moved to the Amazon Ballroom. This included all cash game action, satellite events (which will start on June 25th), second chance tournaments, World Series tournaments and Final Table play. The Amazon Ballroom could comfortably serve as a basketball arena for some Division III college teams, so expect the crowds to be humongous and cash game waits to be potentially lengthy. As poker players are known for their patience, bring plenty of it if you plan on taking part in the action at the Rio!

With that, our basic primer on the World Series of Poker is done. Coming up in our next part, we'll look back at some of the problematic issues that came up during the 2005 event and how Harrah's is looking to make changes regarding them. Also along the way, we'll look back at some of the history of the event and the actual play at last year's World Series and have some predictions as to how the 2006 World Series of Poker will play out. It should whet our appetites for the ultimate poker experience of a lifetime at the end of June!

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Poker Dome starts Memorial Day Weekend

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Since the announcement of FSN's newest poker series in December 2005, the poker community has been waiting to see the most technologically advanced, startlingly-fast, game-changing poker series ever shown on television. The wait is over -- MANSIONPOKER.NET POKER DOME CHALLENGE is finally here.

On Sunday, May 28 at 11:00 PM local, the first hand will be dealt as players compete for their share of a $2.2 million series purse in the most electrifying game ever played in Las Vegas.

MANSIONPOKER.NET POKER DOME CHALLENGE is a 43-week series containing six seven-week Speed Poker tournaments, all leading to a final table where one online qualifier walks away with a cool $1 million. Speed Poker, created by Mansionpoker.net, gives each player 15 seconds to act before the player's hand is declared dead. One extra second could mean the difference between moving on and going home.

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Each week, six players from around the world will strap on Suunto Team Pod heart monitors and step into the Poker Dome. The soundproof dome allows audiences on the outside to see all the action – hole cards, discarded cards, a rabbit-hunting camera, the players' heart rates and chip counts that change when a player makes a wager – while keeping the players completely isolated, a revolution in televised poker.

Putting a full complement of stylish, sleek graphics that sets FOX apart from other networks in the hands of the most experienced poker production staff in the business, led by Emmy-Award winning Executive Producer John Faratzis, ensures the Poker Dome Challenge is must-see television for poker aficionados and novices alike.

An alternating roster of hosts and analysts offer the best coverage throughout the series, with veteran announcer Barry Tompkins and poker analyst Michael Konik leading off for the series opener. Best Damn Sports Show Period host Chris Rose and college football announcer Joel Meyers split the series with Tompkins, as rising star poker professional Michael Gracz shares analyst duties with Konik. BDSSP correspondent Leeann Tweeden serves as sideline reporter all season long.

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The series starts off on the Las Vegas strip at the Tropicana Casino before its anticipated move to its permanent location inside the Neonopolis on historic Fremont Street, where the Poker Dome will anchor the revitalization of downtown Las Vegas and become a must-see attraction for both visitors and residents.

The Players

Each seven week mini-tournament features six qualifying tables and a final table. The winner of each qualifying table wins $25,000 and a seat at that tournament's final table, where victory comes with a $50,000 check and a seat at the $1,000,000 winner-take-all final table.

Players over the age of 21 qualify online at Mansionpoker.net, in specially designated tournaments. Players for the debut episode vying for the first shot at the final table are:

# Paul Dreyer, Jr.: 32-year old mathematician from Santa Monica, CA
# Frank LaCava: 53-year old grandfather from Marco Island, FL
# Brian Wilson: 38-year old professional poker player from Ft. Myers, FL who goes by the nickname "Rookie."
# Rhowena Colclough: 25-year old poker television host from Birmingham in the United Kingdom who is married to one of Europe's top poker professionals.
# Jonathan Sullivan: 27-year old online poker consultant from East Sussex in the United Kingdom
# Peter Lawler: 34-year old Australian television director who now lives in London.

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Poker run will help 2-year-old

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There are already nine people in the Yeomans family.

But since 2-year-old Gabriella was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease last year, their family seems much larger.

"Our church family has been with us every step of the way," said Gabriella's mother, Jeanne Yeomans, of the members of Spartanburg's Restoration Church.

"They have done so much for us. I don't know what we would have done without them."
The church's Roamers Biker Ministry is holding a Poker run and motorcycle rally fundraiser for the family Saturday to help raise money for Gabriella's treatment.

The problems began last year after Gabriella had a seizure while staying home with her 14-year-old brother, Ike Adams.

"She stopped breathing. He called 911 and gave her CPR. Then they rushed her to the hospital," she said.

"When I got there, the waiting room was full with our church family. Then they flew her to Greenville and the waiting room was full there, too. It was unbelievable."

After numerous tests and theories, the doctors finally determined Gabriella had mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder that occurs when the mitochondria of the cells (or the powerhouse of the body) fail to produce enough energy for cell or organ function.

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It affects about one in every 3,000 to 4,000 people in the United States.

Thanks to medication, Gabriella's doctors are optimistic, Jeanne said.

"They say we should not expect this to kill her. But we weren't going to let that happen anyway," she said.

Since the diagnosis, Jeanne and her husband, Earl, have spent a lot of time studying the disease.
"We had already learned a lot before (they confirmed it), because that's what they were suspecting," Jeanne said. "Now we're trying to unlearn some of that and just figure out what she needs most."

If it's love and attention, Gabriella won't have a problem.

It's nearly impossible to walk by the adorable red-haired child without walking over to say "Hey."

And as soon as you do, she repeats it back to you, and you're hooked. There's no walking away from her smile.

"She's the most precious thing in the whole world," said Mary Hembree, a fellow member of Restoration Church and one the people helping with Saturday's fundraiser.

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Hembree's husband, Lee, started the biker ministry about six years ago. The group has assisted with several charity events, but Lee said he felt especially called to help Gabriella and her family.

"She's a sweet, precious, little child," he said.

"We just wanted to show there's people in the community that just want to stand with them and help them."


Amanda Ridley can be reached at 562-7221 or amanda.ridley@shj.com.


More InformationWhat: Ride for Gabi Motorcycle Rally and Poker RunWhen: Registration begins 10 a.m.

Saturday at Palmetto Cycle Center, 125 Simuel Road. First rider will leave after registration; last bike at 12:30 p.m.Extra: Tommy Crain and the Cross-Town All-Stars concert at 5 p.m. at Spartanburg Expo Center, 6655 Pottery Road.Cost: $20 to ride; $8 for concert (6 years old and older).Prizes: $1,000 top hand; $400 second place; $100 lowest hand; door prizes, food available after poker run.

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Monday, May 22, 2006

Poker games help groups raise funds

As he helped run Summerhill Volunteer Fire Company’s regular bingo games, Dave Hendrickson thought the organization might take a chance on a poker event.

Texas hold ‘em tournaments are growing in popularity on television and around the country.
“We’ve been kicking it around for about a year,” Hendrickson said from his Cameron Avenue home. “It’s better than bingo because it only takes four or five guys.”

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There is one problem:

“The state police considers these games to be illegal,” District Attorney Patrick Kiniry said from Cambria County Courthouse.

If police receive a complaint about the games, they will file charges and Kiniry will prosecute, he said.
“I recommended that they don’t do them,” Kiniry said.

The district attorney’s office checked into the games after Oakland Volunteer Fire Company of Stonycreek Township contacted him, Kiniry said.

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An Oakland officer said the organization shut its monthly tournaments after learning police were clamping down.

The need for a new fire house and fire truck are pushing Summerhill Township to look for more fundraising opportunities, Hendrickson said.

Summerhill brought in about $800 with a minimum of effort at its latest Texas hold ‘em tournament, thanks in part to event organizers, Four Alarm Poker of Port Matilda, Centre County.

Hendrickson said the outside promoter does most of the work.

Running a successful bingo night takes about a dozen volunteers.

“They do the whole scenario,” Summerhill Township Chief George Fedore said.

But police contend the private business’s cut of the action is what makes the games illegal, Kiniry said.

Players at Beaverdale paid $35 each to buy in for $1,000 in tournament chips.
That also included food and nonalcoholic drinks.

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“There is no alcohol,” Hendrickson said. “We have a big sign saying they can’t bring alcohol into the building.”

The promoter’s computer assigns seats to players, rotating them as participants lose all their chips.

Summerhill does not include side games that some other tournament operators use to build profits.

“They are just sitting around waiting for it to go down to the final guys,” Hendrickson said.
Cash prizes are awarded to top finishers. Hendrickson would not say how much Summerhill Township paid out, but noted winners were not from the local area.

For the fire company, it’s a matter of bang for the buck – or rather bang for the volunteer hour. Four Alarm Poker took care of the gambling.

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“We just sit back and make sure the food is there,” Hendrickson said.

“We don’t run the event,” Fedore said.

“We don’t have a heck of a lot to do. The only thing we do is collect admissions and make the payouts.”

Many of the players come from out of the area, following Four Alarm Poker’s online schedule, Fedore said.

Virtually all said they play poker on Internet gambling sites, Hendrickson said, adding that Summerhill Township might as well get in on the action.

“They should legalize it,” Hendrickson said. “It’s not like where they go into a gambling place and spend hundreds of dollars.”

Friday, May 19, 2006

Motorcyclists can join poker run to assist leukemia patient

A motorcycle poker run to benefit Lake County resident Karen Beard will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at Beard Pippin Properties, 2755 S. Bay St., Suite A, Eustis. The run starts and ends at this location.

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Beard, 47, a lifelong resident of the area, was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is undergoing treatment at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa.
Karen and her husband, Larry, have two sons and one grandchild. They live in Umatilla.
Proceeds from the poker run will be used to help defray medical expenses, since insurance coverage has been depleted.

Cost to participate in the motorcycle Poker run is $10 per hand, which includes lunch and a chance to win prizes. The top prizes to be awarded are a $500 value package, first place; a $250 package, second place; and $150 package for third place.

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Among the poker run card stop sites are Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg and Jeremiah's in Mount Dora. After the poker run, music, food and entertainment are planned at Beard Pippin.
To register, call Beard Pippin at 352-589-9989. Participants also may register from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. Saturday. A mandatory drivers' meeting begins at 9:30 a.m.

Donations and contributions are welcome.

Shelter celebrates 22 years

Anthony House organizers will have a celebration Saturday at the homeless shelter at 6215 Holly St., Zellwood.

The party is to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the shelter.

Entertainment will feature country recording artist Siara Sol, Mickey Carroll, Eddie G., Praise and the Worship sing-team, and several other musical groups.

Festivities will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and include tours of the facility, clowns, face painting, and hot dogs, hamburgers, cotton candy and party food.

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Apopka Mayor John Land will give the opening address for the celebration. Volunteers with Anthony House will be recognized.

For information, call 352-383-5577, Ext. 135.

Orchids on display

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, members of the Mid-Lakes Orchid Society will display blooming orchids from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today in the lobby of the Citizens First Bank, 1341 Griffin Road, Leesburg.

'Dive into Spring'

C&N Divers of Mount Dora will present its sixth annual "Dive into Spring," an all-day program of family snorkeling, swimming and scuba diving, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 20211 U.S. Highway 441, Mount Dora.

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The program is for people who have always wanted to try scuba diving, as well as the experienced diver. This year's format will include games, seminars and a free T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded for games played throughout the day.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

National Poker League Kicks off at Caesars

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The National Poker League (NPL) will kick off its inaugural season of Poker in high definition with the Vegas Open on June 2. The tournament will be held in the poker room at Caesars Palace and will be broadcast this summer in high definition on the INHD Network, one of the most widely distributed HD networks on cable today.

With smaller buy-ins, tournament executives expect a whole new generation of poker players to ante up for a chance to be on national television. "Televised tournaments generally require huge bankrolls," said Nene Gonzalez," president of the National Poker League, "what we're striving for is to be the poker tournament for players with smaller bankrolls and lots of game. They may even become TV stars in the process."

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The series will consist of 10 separate, $1,060 buy-in tournaments, open to the general public, with each winner advancing to the semifinal heads-up round. The five heads-up winners will then advance to the final table, where they will play for the chance to win $100,000 in bonus cash, winner take all, which is added to the prizepool. Each stage of the tournament will offer prize money and will be televised.


The NPL is aiming at the younger generation of poker players and fans. Oliver Nejad has come aboard the Vegas Open to deliver fresh commentary and offer a new generation of solid poker advice. Additionally, Scott Fischman, WSOP winner, will deliver its "Into The Tank" poker tip and analyzes segment on each episode. Viewers will get a truly inside view into two great poker minds.

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The new 14,500 sq. ft. poker room at Caesars Palace, one of the world's largest, will play host to the Vegas Open. In addition to the poker action, each episode will also feature segments about the hosting casino, player profiles, a Poker Pro "Tip of the Day," a Tournament "Play of the Day," and a Las Vegas segment titled "Las Vegas: High Rolling and High Living Mojo Style."


Caesars Palace Poker Room

The poker room at Caesars Palace caters to the recreational poker player as well as the seasoned veteran of the game.

The poker room features 30 tables, offering a vast array of games including Texas Hold'em, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha. Players entering the beautiful space will be greeted by 11 original LeRoy Neiman paintings that showcase 40 years of Caesars Palace history.

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More than 20 large-screen high-definition TV sets adorn the walls. An extensive menu and dedicated cocktail service allow players to have food and beverage delivered directly to the tables during play and massage therapists roam the floor providing neck-and-shoulder treatments. In addition to the remarkable 8,500 square-foot main poker room, Caesars Palace is one of the only casinos in Las Vegas to also offer an adjoining tournament area, providing an additional 6,000 square feet of playing space and 33 tournament tables.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Online Poker News!

Smith named WPT Player of the Year

Gavin Smith's poker resume continues to grow as the World Poker Tour named him its Player of the Year Thursday.

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Making three WPT televised final tables, Smith dominated the circuit's fourth season. Smith took home the title at the Mirage Poker Open in May 2005, and earned third place at the Doyle Brunson North American Challenge in October 2005, and fourth place in the Gold Strike World Poker Open in January.

Smith finished the season with 2,100 points in the WPT standings, just ahead of runner-up Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi (1,700). Points in the WPT standings are earned for each finish in the top seven under the following system: 1,000 for a victory, 700 for second place, 600 for third, 500 for fourth, 400 for fifth, 300 for sixth and 200 for seventh.

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Smith will receive the award next week at a very familiar location: the Mirage, the site of his first major tournament win (a $1.1 million payout) one year ago.

"It feels great," Smith said. "It was a lot of hard work, a long season and it feels good to get acknowledged for having a good year."

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Although Smith felt his defining moment of the year was his victory at the Mirage, he felt that his performance in that event ranked only third.

"Although I was happy to win the tournament, I'm really proud of the way I played at the Bellagio and Tunica," he said.

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Smith joins an elite group of previous Player of the Year winners, including Howard Lederer (Season 1), Erick Lindgren (Season 2) and Daniel Negreanu (Season 3).
If the group of previous winners is any indication, this achievement is only the start of a brilliant poker career.

"Making the three final tables finally proved to everyone that I knew a little something about poker," Smith said.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Crew Believer

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JOE BARTHOLDI EXPECTED TO WIN. In a field of 605 players, that may seem crazy, but that’s what the Vegas-based member of “The Crew” (the group of young players, led by Scott Fischman and Dutch Boyd, that scored big at the 2004 World Series of Poker) told Mike Sexton as they briefly chatted at the conclusion of the WPT Championship at Bellagio in April. After Bartholdi’s bold statement, Sexton gave his customary congratulatory toast, everyone raised their drinks, and the 26-year-old Bartholdi proceeded to knock back the entire bottle of beer in one continuous chug.

In fact, he almost seemed more excited to have that beer than to have just won over $3.7-million. But then again, Bartholdi knew he was going to win the tournament, so what was there to be excited about?

By contrast, runner-up David Matthew did not have any serious championship expectations. Back in November, the businessman from Toronto won a satellite at Bellagio, which got him into the Festo Al Lago tournament. Matthew quickly busted on Day One. Two days later, frustrated yet hopeful, he entered a $25 online satellite through ParadisePoker and won it, gaining him entrance into a higher buy-in tournament. He won that one also, which earned him a seat worth $25K at the WPT Championship.

When Matthew got into town for the big tournament on April 18, he checked into his hotel and signed up for a sightseeing tour. Eventually, the tour wended its way to Bellagio. Just for kicks, he decided to check out the poker room he’d be playing in the next day. It’s a good thing he did, because the tournament had already begun; Matthew had confused the starting dates, and having missed six hours of play, he’d been blinded off to the tune of 5,500 in chips.
But everyone in the tournament started with 50K (double the buy-in) in chips, and the blinds structure was relatively slow, so Matthew was able to recover, finish Day One in the top 10 percent of the field, and eventually find himself in middle chip position at the final table.

To accommodate the tournament’s record-setting field size, Day One was split into two flights. On Day 1A, play was slow and a relatively low number of players (around 50) busted out. Among them were seasoned pros Sam Farha, Gus Hansen, Nam Le, David Pham, and Gavin Smith.

Smith’s bustout was a little peculiar. He had raised a pot to 1,600 pre-flop, and a player meaning to call accidentally threw in an extra chip that made for a raise. Smith moved all in with pocket queens, the other player called with sevens, and a seven on the flop made him a set and bounced Smith from the action.

In one of the day’s most exciting hands, an hour before the end of play, Barry Greenstein checked on the river to a board of A-A-9-Q-J. He opponent bet 6K, Greenstein raised to 26K, and his opponent called and turned up pocket jakes for the boat. But Greenstein turned over the nuts, the other two aces, for quads.

Devoted law student Vanessa Rousso was late to play on Day 1B because she’d attended class that day. But she made up for the three-hour late start by doubling up with quad queens through Liz Lieu and getting pocket cowboys to knock out an all-in player—not bad for her first two hands.

At the start of Tournament Day Two, the $25 chips were raced off and the remaining 473 players (more than entered the tournament last year) all redrew for seats. Because of the slow play the previous days, they would play five levels without a dinner break. The carnage was quick and fierce. The first half of Day Two saw as many bustouts as Days 1A and 1B combined. And by the end of the day, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Alan Goehring, and defending champ Tuan Le were among the 269 players felted.

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While plenty of well-known players dropped, many top pros survived. Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth represented the top veterans on the leader board. And Rousso, Patrik Antonius, and Erica Schoenberg represented the younger—and let’s face it, much more good looking—crew. But poker’s not about pulchritude, it’s about smarts and stamina.

By the end of Day Four, 12 of the surviving 19 players had over a million in chips. Day Five ended with the departure of Rousso on the bubble in seventh place. She was sassy, spunky, and had a great run. But the crowd-pleaser missed the TV final table by one spot.

The player who started with the shortest stack at the final table also happened to be the most well-regarded. Men “The Master” Nguyen has cashed in every season of the World Poker Tour. Nguyen has six World Series bracelets. And he holds the record for most top-three finishes at the WSOP.

Roland De Wolfe (a.k.a. “The Sheep”) used to play pool for money when he was younger. He’s also the former poker editor for Inside Edge, a British gambling magazine. He remains an avid online player. And as the final table’s only Season Four winner (of the WPT Grand Prix de Paris event), DeWolfe got into this tournament for free.

David Matthew runs a small private ATM operation with a couple of employees. A couple of years ago, after taking a poker lesson in a casino, he was hooked. Both directly and indirectly, that lesson has paid serious dividends.

Claus Nielsen has cashed a total of three times in the past two World Series. Since those prizes totaled $15,855, he was sure to rocket up his career earnings—a minimum of twenty-fold.
With this event, Joe Bartholdi now has 10 top-10 finishes, including winning a couple of smaller tournaments. His highest previous payout was for placing fifth in Event 43 at last year’s World Series. In that second-chance event (just after the Main Event), he outlasted Marcel Luske and Erik Seidel to earn $71,445.

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James Van Alstyne is a well-known and respected local grinder with numerous cashes in WPT and WSOP events over the last dozen years. He won the 2004 Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge. But despite having officially made two other WPT final tables (seventh at Season Four’s UltimateBet.com Aruba Poker Classic and 10th at Season Three’s Bay 101 Shooting Stars of Poker), this was his first World Poker Tour TV final table. He started out as the big stack amongst the six.

With nearly 9-million in chips at the start of final table play, Van Alstyne tried to establish his strength right from the start by raising from the cutoff. It worked the first time, but then Bartholdi (starting in second chip position, with over 7-million) took over as the table bully. Bartholdi won five of the next six pots by raising and calling from both early and late positions. Then Matthew won a few in a row.

Anxious to get in on the action, Nguyen went all in under the gun for almost 1.1 million. Tournament Director Jack McClelland, who’d previously made fun of Nguyen for taking a while to act, joking that he must be trying for more TV time, now said Nguyen must be looking to go to dinner. The Master replied, “I’m hungry. I’m not hungry for food, I’m hungry for chips!” The move worked that time, and everyone folded. But when he tried it again less than 10 minutes later, he got a quick call from neighbor Nielsen on the button. Nguyen had pocket tens, but was dominated by Nielsen’s wired queens. The queens held up, teaching The Master a lesson and leaving him in sixth place.

About an hour later, on Hand 27, Van Alstyne went all in from the cutoff and got a quick call by De Wolfe. Van Alstyne’s K-6 of spades was in rough shape against De Wolfe’s pocket cowboys. Van Alstyne flopped a gutshot straight draw, but got no help on the turn or river. After recounting the chip stacks, it was determined that Van Alstyne was all the way down to his last 10K—not even enough for the next ante. All in by default, Van Alstyne found himself in decent shape pre-flop with A-K against Bartholdi’s J-10. But Bartholdi paired his ten on the turn, and the table’s initial chip leader was out in fifth place while Bartholdi was sitting pretty behind over 10-mil in chips.

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An hour later, with the antes (30K) and blinds (150K/300K) both up, Matthew had quietly but aggressively clawed his way into a slight chip lead over Bartholdi. On Hand 54, Nielsen raised to over a million on the button and Bartholdi called. The 9-7-2 flop with two diamonds went check-check. The board paired its seven on the turn, Bartholdi bet a million, and Nielsen called. Bartholdi checked the queen of diamonds on the river, Nielsen bet 2-million. Bartholdi raised all in, and Nielsen called. The queen had hit both players, Nielsen (with A-Q) for a second pair, and Bartholdi (with K-10 of diamonds) for the flush. Nielsen’s ratings went down and he was out in fourth place.

Going into three-handed play, Bartholdi had a commanding chip lead. With a pile of 18-million, he lorded 3-to-1 over his opponents, each with around 6-million.

Over the next 20 hands, the trio saw a handful of flops and no major shifts in power. Then, on Hand 73, Bartholdi raised from the small blind up to 900K, De Wolfe went all in from the big, and Bartholdi called. Bartholdi not only had De Wolfe covered in chips three times over, but dominated in the hand about four to one, with pocket ladies over De Wolfe’s sixes. To make matters worse for De Wolfe, the Q-8-5 flop gave Bartholdi a set, but De Wolfe did have a backdoor inside straight draw. The turn four kept the dream suckout alive, but the three of clubs on the river dashed those hopes and De Wolfe huffed and puffed and went out in third.

With a large cheering section chanting “Joe-o-O-o-o” (to the tune of the Atlanta Braves’ tomahawk-chop chant) and confetti cannons roaring, Bellagio babes brought the millions in coveted cash out onto the table. At the start of heads-up play, Bartholdi had almost 22-million in chips, more than a 21/2-to-1 lead over Matthew. But even when the ante and blinds shot up (to 50K and 250K/500K), Matthew mostly remained calm, composed, and kept his head in the game.

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At one point, Matthew did get a little anxious. He’d limped into the pot, they’d checked the flop, he had raised on the turn, and Bartholdi had announced a re-raise. Before Bartholdi had said or pushed in the specific amount, Matthew jumped the gun by blurting out “All in,” and Bartholdi was only held to the minimum raise (which he then folded). Bartholdi was still in the lead with 17-million, but Matthew was getting closer. And several hands later, he actually muscled his way into the lead, about 16.5-mil to 13.5-mil.

On Hand 106, Matthew limped from the small blind and it went check-check on the flop and turn. With A-8-6-Q-A on the board, Bartholdi bet out 800K and Matthew called. Bartholdi showed his 9-2 bluff, and Matthew turned up 10-7 to win with ten-high. It was either a brilliant read, or the loosest call you’ll ever see (or maybe both).

Ten hands later, with Bartholdi back in the lead, the limped pot flopped A-9-8 with two hearts. Bartholdi checked, and Matthew bet 800K. Bartholdi raised another 2-million, Matthew re-raised all in over the top for another 7.3-million, and Bartholdi called. Bartholdi was holding a nine again, this time with a mighty five kicker. And Matthew was holding a ten again, this time with a suited four. Talk about aggression: Matthew had raised all in on a flush draw, and Bartholdi had called with middle pair. The 2d on the turn helped neither player. One the river, Matthew needed a ten or a heart to stay alive and double up, but he didn’t get it. The ace of diamonds fell and signaled Joe Bartholdi’s cheering section to go wild.

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Before he knew it, Bartholdi was being raised up in the air and carried on the shoulders of all his friends and family. Following a week-long battle and a six-hour final table, Bartholdi was the WPT World Champion. After reluctantly posing for a bunch of pictures, Bartholdi and his posse went off to Jet (the hoppin’ new nightclub at The Mirage). He’d beaten a field of over 600, earned a nice shiny bracelet, and won entry into next year’s championship as well as more than $3.76-million. But none of that seemed to matter much to him. Bartholdi just wanted to hurry up and start spending some of the biggest payout in WPT history on drinks.

In The Money
Here’s how the WPT Championship’s almost $15-million prize pool (50 percent more than was awarded in all of Season One) was split amongst the event’s top 100 finishers:
1 $3,760,165 Joe Bartholdi
2 $1,903,950 David Matthew
3 $1,025,205 Roland De Wolfe
4 $659,120 Claus Nielsen
5 $439,375 James Van Alstyne
6 $292,915 Men Nguyen
7 $263,625 Vanessa Rousso
8 $234,330 Espen Saltnes
9 $205,040 Chad Brown
10 $175,750 Carlos Zambrano
11-15 $146,460
16-20 $117,165*
21-30 $87,875*
31-40 $73,230
41-50 $58,585
51-100 $43,935

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*Ross Boatman and Dapo Fadeyi were eliminated on the same hand at different tables, therefore tied and split the money between 20th and 21st place, for $102,520 each.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Our view: Step up and ban video poker

The N.C. Senate acted quickly last week in unanimously approving a ban on video poker machines.

This is the fifth time such a measure has cleared the Senate. The previous four bills died in the N.C. House, where House Speaker Jim Black has obstructed efforts to bring the legislation to a floor vote.

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Black, D-Mecklenburg, said Thursday that he would not block a vote on the measure this year, if the bill comes out of committee.

Black was the N.C. General Assembly's top recipient of contributions from the video poker industry during the 2002 and 2004 election cycles. He has come under scrutiny for possible elections law violations by the N.C. State Board of Elections and federal prosecutors, stemming from an investigation that originally looked into campaign donations he received from the video poker industry. A federal grand jury also has sought information from Black about donations he has received from electronic gambling companies.

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A video poker ban is backed by dozens of county sheriffs, who say it is very difficult to regulate the many illegal machines that are operating in the state and paying out cash jackpots in violation of existing laws.

Here's hoping that Black will follow the Senate's lead and put a priority on bringing the video poker ban to a floor vote. The time has long past for any more unwarranted delays or stalling tactics.

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Basement No More: Matusow Wins First PSIT 3 Match

After striking out twice, Mike Matusow hit a home run his third try at the Poker Superstars Invitational 3. He won the tournament that was shown Sunday on FSN and earned 10 points.
He was the first player eliminated in the first two matches he played and was the only player without any points going into this match. Now, he sits right about in the middle of the pack with 10 points, and with two matches to go, has a real chance of making it into the second round.

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Barry Greenstein added 7points to the 10 he brought into the match by finishing second. Each player plays five elimination matches and the top 16 players move on to the second round.
Eli Elezra needs to finish strong to make it into the second round. He added 5 points to the 4 he earned in the first two matches.

Gus Hansen finished fourth in this contest, earning 3 points. He now has 11.
Todd Brunson gave himself 1 point after getting knocked out of the tourney in fifth place. He now has 15 points.

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And Ted Forrest kept himself at the bottom of the leader board with 3 points. He earned 0 by being the first person eliminated in match 10, and only Phil Ivey has fewer points them he (2). Ivey will play his third match in two weeks.

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

EWU hops on the poker bandwagon

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Poker has evolved since the old days when it was only Doyle Brunson and a few of his friends playing hold’em in Texas on the weekends.

Now, people can play anything from Omaha to seven-card stud in the comfort of their own homes with online clients like Party Poker, Pacific Poker, Poker Room and Doyle’s Room, each organizing cash and tournament games between people across the world to be played over the internet.

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These games can be anywhere from one cent to $500 to buy in, and on any given day hundreds of thousands of dollars can change hands without competitors ever seeing each other’s faces. The immediacy of these efficient and easily activated online accounts has helped bring gambling to the 21st century and into the college dorm room.

There is no real way to tell just how many Eastern students play poker for money online, but it would be safe to say that they’re numerous. Poker in its physical form can be found in any hall and in most fraternities; nearly all of the games are played for money. Considering that online poker is easier to initiate, just log in and play, more students are probably playing poker over the Internet than on the tabletop.

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Poker has grown substantially in popularity of late. ESPN and Fox Sports Northwest show programs like Poker Champions, Poker Superstars Invitational and The World Series of Poker daily. Much of televised poker is reruns, but a growing number of poker programs sport the kind of production values that are found in more mainstream sports like golf. Poker is becoming more than a means of gambling. It’s in books and movies, and some consider it a way of life. Listen to a few die-hard poker fiends discuss poker theory some time; even surfer bums would drown in slang.

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The most popular poker style these days is hold’em, both online and televised, but there are many other ways to get a flush.

Students who are skilled at playing poker can make a decent amount online playing all of the forms of poker, each one with their own preference. Some students even rely to a small degree on their online play, playing several $10 games a night to help pay for food and fund future poker games.

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Those who aren’t as skilled often don’t lose money so much as hover their accounts maybe dropping so slowly as to demand an infusion of less than $20 a month to keep playing. As hobbies go that’s pretty cheap, but there are certainly students out there who have dumped hundreds of dollars into their online accounts and still keep losing. Perhaps they shouldn’t play.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Senate committee approves video poker ban

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A Senate committee quickly and unanimously approved a ban on video poker Wednesday, preparing the chamber to outlaw the industry for the fifth time since 2000.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, said the bill, which faced no debate and only sarcastic discussion in a hearing, would have a floor vote Thursday.

"As usual, we've got a lot of support for this," said Sen. Charles Albertson, D-Duplin, the bill's sponsor.

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In past years, Anderson's efforts to ban video gaming have picked up overwhelming support in the Senate, only to encounter opposition from House leaders, specifically Speaker Jim Black. The Democratic leader from Mecklenburg was the Legislature's top recipient of industry contributions during the 2002 and 2004 election cycles. He has refused to bring the issue up for a vote, insisting that video poker generates thousands of jobs through a legal business.

But Black now is embroiled in a campaign contribution investigation and facing increased pressure to pass the measure.

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"Hopefully they'll take a vote in the House," Albertson said. "There are a lot of anxious members over there."

"I have a feeling that it has a better chance to pass this year," he said.

Black hasn't said whether he will allow a vote this session. He backed a bill in 2004 designed to further regulate the machines.

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The State Board of Elections has ordered Black's campaign to return $5,500 in likely illegal donations from the video poker industry, but cleared him of knowingly accepting unlawful contributions.

While he has not been charged with any crimes, a federal grand jury also has sought information about Black's connections to the industry.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

World Poker Tour (PLAYSTATION2)

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Many different forms of entertainment have managed to be recreated as a video game. I’m not just talking about things like sport or fishing, but amusing pastimes in other formats such as board games. Developers Coresoft have decided to add to that list with a virtual card game for the PS2. The finished product is World Poker Tour, a video game that recreates the hustle and bustle of competitive modern day tournament poker. If you’re a major poker fan, this might actually mean something. For everyone else, World Poker Tour (WPT) is more of a title you might like to play for novelty value.

Apparently WPT is based on a real American tournament poker license, not that I know anything about it. This means that authentic casinos/tournament locations and real pro poker players are in the game. Being a televised event also explains why a live commentary accompanies the tournament. Again this is something that poker devotees will undoubtedly appreciate more than me. At least, I’m hoping this is the case…

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The graphics of WPT are quite primitive for a PS2 title, especially one released so late in its life cycle. The casino environments are fine, but the character models are cartoonish and stiff. This wouldn’t be so much of a problem if the game concentrated on cards, but the visual focus is more on the players and dealer. Character facial expressions are quite good, although this is a deliberate design choice to fit with this title’s player emotion system. WPT does suffer from long loading times, but it seems to match the slow ponderous pace of a poker match so it’s not especially aggravating. The sound is equally basic, as most of the audio concentrates on commentary and music. There are still a few player related sound bytes (“I fold…Umm, I’ll check…Check”) next to the decidedly generic commentary. At a technical level, WPT is just functional.

The controls are simple, using mainly the D-Pad and X button to cycle between menu choices. However, there are a few extra commands. Square and circle display turn and overall game information respectively, the R3 button gives you a first person perspective of the table while the L-Analog stick lets you choose from over a dozen different emotions to influence other players. That’s basically as complex as it gets.

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If you’re new to poker or only barely familiar with the rules, then WPT may not be the game for you. The poker lingo used in this title almost comes across as a different language. Terms such as pot, limit, flop, turn, river and blinds will make perfect sense to some players, while causing everyone else’s head to spin. However, a persistent rookie can actually play WPT and come away with a much better understanding of the game.

Once a poker match is initially loaded, quite a bit of waiting is involved throughout. There are initially five other players on the table and after the dealer has (manually) distributed each hand, everyone has to take their turn. Although only seconds are involved for this process to play out, it may be too much for the more impatient players out there. WPT is no single player arcade game and the rewards are not quite the same as they were in something like Poker Ladies.

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True to modern tournament poker, WPT sticks to variations of the basic five card poker rules. The main form is Texas Hold ‘Em, although there are many others including Tahoe, Super Hold Em, Pineapple, Crazy Pineapple, Omaha, Shanghai, Billabong, 7 Card Stud, Draw Poker and Triple Draw. You can even create your own customised House rules if you know what you’re doing.

One would assume that AI is of vital importance in a poker video game involving multiple players and thankfully the developers do a decent job. Although the CPU shows the ability to vary its reactions to create “unique” styles of play between different characters, it generally lacks the killer instinct of a true competitor. Rival AI is surprisingly passive in most cases, which limits any sense of risk. However, when the CPU does decide to play aggressively the level of difficulty goes up radically. When combined with the ever increasing stakes, a careless player can get cleaned out very quickly. This lack of balance can be off-putting, especially if you’re still learning the game. However, WPT does attempt to adhere to the core ‘science’ of poker and manages to perform adequately despite the various holes.

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One interesting feature is the ability to change your player’s ‘emotions’ by pushing the L-Analog stick in different directions. Not only does this alter your character’s facial expressions in real time (to match the emotion), but one can assume that it helps to bluff CPU players. I say ‘assume’ because it’s unclear whether changing your facial expression actually does anything, since there is no mechanism for feedback. Despite its crude design the emotion system is at least promising. I find that half the fun in real poker is reading other people and bluffing. Because of this, a video game version will never have the same impact as the real thing - but that doesn’t stop this game from at least trying.

There are two main modes in WPT, namely Quick Draw and Season. Quick Draw is a straightforward section where you must eliminate all other competitors with a set amount of money. Season mode is a more elaborate version of the same thing, but set against the ‘genuine’ WPT poker tournament. You simply create a custom character from scratch, compete in satellite matches, earn a place in the top six and then go the final championship round. Of course you have to do this multiple times for the Amateur, Professional and Pro classes to ultimately become the world’s best virtual poker shark.

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Online play is probably the biggest drawcard of WPT. Despite the need to wait longer while each player takes a turn, competing against human opponents is a more rewarding experience. There are a few extras to unlock including new players and custom character accessories. However, this must be done by meeting a specific set of requirements – such as getting certain poker hands – rather than completing poker tournament classes. One final oddity is the inability to do anything useful with the prize money you accumulate. Your chips are treated as an ancillary item that comes with winning tournaments. But what’s poker without the monetary motivation? In game terms your winnings could have been used to unlock extra material, but the developers went with a luck based system instead.

World Poker Tour is a decent game aimed at a niche market. It may be a little too complicated for rookies, except those who are keen to learn more about the game. For poker sharks, it’s probably too crude to retain the interest of all but the most patient of players. Although the sound and graphics are average at best, online play and the cheap price are enough to make World Poker Tour worthwhile. If you enjoy the thought of tournament poker (and I’m sure there is someone out there who may be dreaming of it right now), then World Poker Tour for the PS2 is for you.

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Friday, May 05, 2006

World Poker Tour going north of the border

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The Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort, which has already hosted several major poker championship, has been selected by the World Poker Tour as its only Canadian side for a fall series.

Besides attracting hundreds of world-class poker players, the tour is also a major coup for the casino as the games will be televised on the Travel Channel, reaching more than 147 markets in both North America and Europe. Casino officials hope the coverage will translate to more visitors staying either at its 368-room hotel or elsewhere in Niagara Falls.

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The tour will be in Niagara Falls on Oct. 25 to 29.

"Our casino is ready to lay out the red carpet for the WPT, the players and the fans as they join us here in Niagara Falls," said Steve Wolstenholme, Fallsview general manager.

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The World Poker Tour begins next week at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas and then moves down Las Vegas Boulevard to Mandalay Bay before heading to the Aviation Club de France in Paris.

It will make stops in Los Angeles and Atlantic City before heading to Niagara Falls.


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World Poker Tour parent swings to 1Q profits

Growth in the television shows of the World Poker Tour television series and revenue contributions from WPTOnline.com helped bring WPT Enterprises Inc. to profitability in the first quarter.

In the quarter, the company earned $3.6 million, or 17 cents a share, compared to a loss of $1.6 million, or 8 cents a share, for the first quarter of 2005. Analyst estimates predicted a loss of 2 cents a share.

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Quarterly revenues were $6.5 million, up from $4.1 million a year ago.

West Hollywood-based WPT Enterprises (NASDAQ: WPTE) makes gaming-themed products and airs the "World Poker Tour" in the United States and in more than 60 markets worldwide.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Toronto Man Comes in Second at WPT

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Toronto's Davidson Matthew is $1,903,950 richer, after coming in second at the World Poker Tournament at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. This tournament is regarded as the most prestigious in the world next to the World Series of Poker Main event.

Matthew, who is known as "ATMKing" because he is president of a Toronto- based ATM company, qualified for the tournament through a $25 satellite tournament win on ParadisePoker.com allowing him to head to Las Vegas to take on some of his poker idols. The unknown Matthew beat all but one of the renowned poker superstars!

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Matthew began playing poker in February of 2004 and shifted his focus to online poker at ParadisePoker.com in September of that year so he could play at his own convenience. His play on ParadisePoker.com earned him a trip to play with the "Who's Who" of the poker world including poker legends like Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, and young superstar Phil Ivey.


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"I was honoured to play with these players. Everywhere I looked there were faces I had seen on TV," said Matthew. "I approached the tournament in a businesslike manner, my initial goal was to win $46,000, but as I advanced round after round I readjusted my expectations, and by the end I was going for it all!"

Down to the final two, Matthews faced local Las Vegas threat, Joseph Bartholdi. With just his wife there to cheer him on and his opponent boasting an entourage, Matthew (the button) led off and Bartholdi (big blind) checked behind him. The flop came up ace of hearts, nine of clubs and eight of hearts. Bartholdi checked, Matthew bet $800,000, Bartholdi raised to $2 million. At that point Matthew grabbed all of his chips and moved all-in. Bartholdi called.

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Matthew showed the ten and four of hearts for a flush draw. Bartholdi showed a nine of diamonds and a five of hearts for a pair of nines. The turn revealed a two of diamonds and the river the ace of diamonds giving Bartholdi the win with two pairs.

With his winnings, Williams plans to pay off some debts and embark on a professional Poker career.


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